These are
the US patents I have found so far for kazoos and kazoids (instruments
that work like kazoos, but do not consist of a body and a separate
diaphragm attached to the body like a kazoo does).
They are in chronological order from oldest to newest.
I am adding information and color coding as to type of instrument.
Still a bit of work to do on it. 5/30/2012

Year #

1877__194119_IMPROVEMENT_IN_SOUNDING_TOYS ------Carlo Arpisella --The new earliest one so far.
This is one in which the vibrating surfaces consist of the whole body
of the instrument. Two rigid halves held together with a spring vibrate
when the player sings into the mouth hole. It appears similar to the
below #1219241, #2274897, #2331975, #2452658, #2525134,
#2529693, #D158194, #2587445, and possibly D134719.

1879__214010----------------------------------------------------Simon
Seller--- the earliest membrane one I've found so
far. It mentions silk paper as a possible membrane material,
but it is not clear what material is being referred to. The term
silk
paper can refer to paper make of silk fibers, or a paper with a
silk
like finish, including a very thin tissue paper. It is not known what
was referred to as silk paper in 1879 when the patent was issued.

1883__270543_TOY_OR_MUSICAL_INSTRUMENT----------Warren
Herbert Frost----The
First Kazoo
----The diaphragm material mentioned here is membrane or
paper, but does not specify a particular kind.

1896__US552612-------------------------------------------------Warren
Herbert Frost----Zobo
Patent--Specifically calls for a loose, flexible, inelastic
diaphragm such as goldbeater's skin, or any very thin inelastic
membrane, but also says he may use parchment paper or some other
paper. Rubber will not do because it is elastic. A metal plate or
diaphragm is excluded because it is not flexible. "The characteristic
features of the diaphragm must include a uniform flexibility,
loose, soft, like the skin or paper as distinguished from metal
and the inelasticity of skin or paper, as distinguished from the
elasticity of thin sheet rubber."

1897__591476_JAMES_A------------------------------------------James
A. Irving---This has two diaphragms right next to each other. One
is thin, stiff but elastic, such as mica, celluloid or gutta percha
(latex) Against it is a stiff perforated metal plate. Which
further alters the tone of the sound of the player's voice which is
first altered by the first (flexible) diaphragm. In addition the sound
is further altered by a sphere (marble) vibrating against the two
diaphragms.

1899__637261-------------------------------------------------------James
A. Irving---"Multiphone" similar to the above patent #591476 in
that it has a double diaphragm. One is varnished paper or similar
(mounted on a ring) which vibrates against the other, a stiff
perforated metal plate. Instead of the sphere or marble it has a metal
pin.

1900__655109_TOY_MUSICAL_INSTRUMENT-----------------Robert
Pitt---An instrument that has
the air
passage in astraight
line with the mouth piece and a separate membrane
attached to the body parallel to the air flow, like a kazoo, but has
two diaphragms opposite each other.

1917__1219241_BUCHLER---B.
Buchler----An instrument similar to
#194119, #2274897, #2331975, #2452658, #2525134, #2529693,
#D158194, #2587445, and possibly D134719, in that the vibrating
surfaces are part of the body of
the instrument, rather than a separate membrane.

1926__1576903_FONTANELLA---------Henry
F. Fontanella---- Described as "an
improvement in the type of musical toys known as a kazoo".
A small tube with a mouth hole in the center of one side
and a membrane on each end, like a Varinette. The patent does not
mention an air exit hole.

1930__1751490_MUSICAL_TOY--------Hubert
A. Myers---A musical toy of the kazoo type with multiple
diaphragms,
but with one resonating chamber,
designed to be made of candy, gum, celluloid, or other moldable
material.

1930__1751491_MUSICAL--------------Hubert
A. Myers----Candy in the form of a lollypop with a hollow body and open
back which is covered by a diaphragm, which produces by
humming into the mouth piece. The inventor says it produces
clearer notes than those produced kazoo type toys sound, so perhaps he
does not consider it a kazoo.

1930__1759953_OF_TOLEDO-----------Hubert
A. Myers---An instrument with diaphragm that is supported in the middle
by a post, thereby being able to have a larger diameter without needing
to be thicker. The body is
designed to be made some plastic material such as gum, or hard
candy. The
inventor says it gives a typical kazoo like sound to the voice, so
perhaps he does not consider it a kazoo.

1936__USD101969-----------------------Robert
D. Peebles---Described as a humming musical instrument. A
design somewhat similar to the onion or eunuch flute, except it is
cylindrical instead of conical and it has a built up mouth piece
instead
of just a hole. From pictures, of those actually produced, at least
some have a
membrane on both ends, although that is not mentioned in the patent.

1941__US2230835
KAZOO_DANCER-Kermit Graetz---An instrument such as a kazoo
having a vibratory diaphragm on which rests a very light weight figure
which appears to dance in time to the music.

1942__2274897_MUSICAL_INSTRUMENT-Hal
Horne----An instrument similar to #194119,
#1219241,
#2331975, #2452658, #2525134, #2529693, #D158194, #2587445, and
possibly D134719 in that the vibrating surfaces are part of the body of
the instrument, rather than a separate membrane.

1943__2331975_MEXODICA----------Charles
H. Hagopian---An instrument similar to #194119, #1219241,
#2274897,
#2452658, #2525134, #2529693, #D158194, #2587445, and possibly
D134719, in that the vibrating surfaces are part of the body of
the instrument,
rather than a separate membrane. The tone is also changed by
finger holes.

1943__D134719_DESIGN_FOR_A_MUSICAL_WIND_INSTRU---James
Ross Gillie---It doesn't really explain how it works, but it looks like
similar to #194119, #1219241, #2274897, #2331975, #2452658,
#2525134,
#2529693, #D158194, and #2587445 in that the vibrating
surfaces are part of the body of the instrument, rather than a separate
membrane.

1945__D142799_DESIGN_FOR_A
KAZOO--Josephus
Thompson---Looks like a cookie with a bite taken out of it, the
indentation-or bite- being the mouth. The diaphragm is mounted on one
of the flat sides. Looks like it might be the patent for the
Hum-A-Zoo.

1948__2439736_ACOUSTIC_DEVICE--Hal
Horne---It has an internal diaphragm of resilient metal
or resilient
alloy . The body's air space may be divided into multiple air columns.

1948__2452658_MUSICAL_INSTRUMENT--Hal
Horne---An instrument similar to the above
#194119, #1219241,
#2274897, #2331975, #2525134, #2529693, #D158194, #2587445,
and possibly D134719, in that the vibrating surfaces are part of the
body of the instrument, rather than a separate membrane.

1949__USD154756---------------------David
John Ferrier----An ornamental design for a kazoo.

1950__2508423_TOY_DEVICE-------Howard
R. Robbins---A plastic trombone shaped instrument which may be used as
a kazoo or as a variable pitch whistle.

1950__2525134_HORNE--------------Hal
Horne-----An instrument similar to #194119, #1219241,
#2274897, #2331975, #2452658, #2529693,
#D158194, #2587445, and possibly D134719 in that the vibrating
surfaces are part of the body of the instrument, rather than a separate
membrane.

1950__2529693_MUSICAL_INSTRUMENT---Hal
Horne-----An instrument similar to the above
#194119, #1219241, #2274897,
#2331975, #2452658, #2525134,
#D158194, #2587445, and possibly D134719 in that the vibrating
surfaces are part of the body of the instrument, rather than a separate
membrane.

1950__D158194_MUSICAL_INSTRUMENT---Hal
Horne-----An instrument similar to the above
#194119, #1219241, #2274897,
#2331975, #2452658, #2525134,
#2529693, #2587445, and possibly D134719 in that the vibrating
surfaces are part of the body of the instrument, rather than a separate
membrane.

1952
__2587445_MUSICAL_TOY---Phillip A. Derham-----An
instrument similar to #194119, #1219241, #2274897,
#2331975,
#2452658, #2525134, #2529693, #D158194, and possibly D134719, in
that the vibrating surfaces are part of the body of the instrument,
rather than a separate membrane.

1969__3484799_VOICE_AMPLIFIER_TOY---George
W. Sioles, Thomas D. Murtaugh & John W. Ryan---I believe this is
the red ball part
of Mattel's "Bath House Brass" instruments. The principle
of it is like a Zobo or Songophone, with the membrane perpendicular to
the air flow rather than parallel to it.

2003__US6664454----Mark
A. Johnson---A short bodied instrument having a long air passage by
having it folded back upon itself like the instrument called a
racket. Capable of producing sounds like those of a didjeridoo,
without the awkward length usual in such instruments. It mentions
that a membrane might be used. It would depend on type and placement of
said membrane, whether a kazoo type instrument would result.

2005__6837334_Acoustic_horn----Dominic
Le Provost--Not really a kazoo, but light
cardboard folded into shapes that could be used for kazoos or other
instruments.

Color Key

Of the 27
patents using the term kazoo, all but one (#3883982) have
the air
passage in a straight line with the mouth piece and a separate membrane
attached to the body parallel to the air flow.
270543, US700986, D52471,
USD53470, 1354959, D56114, US1465675, 1502835, 1576903, 1676659,
1751490, 2006732, 2158445, US2230835, D142799,
2396250, USD154756, 2508423,
3256636, 3290979, USD254911,
USD269195, 4832653, 4863411, US6491564, D473598,

Instruments
that have the air
passage in a straight line with the mouth piece and a separate membrane
attached to the body parallel to the air flow, like a kazoo, but are
not referred to as kazoos in the patent.

214010, 301711,

An instrument
that has the air
passage in a straight line with the mouth piece and a separate membrane
attached to the body parallel to the air flow, similar a kazoo, but has
two diaphragms opposite each other.
655109

Instruments having the
air
passage in a straight line with the mouth piece and a separate
membrane perpendicular to the air flow.
The body after the membrane, flares to a conical / trumpet shape.
The membrane is usually stretched tight.

US552612, 663654, 3484799,

Instruments in
which the
vibrating surfaces are part of the body of the instrument, rather than
a separate membrane:
#194119, #1219241 #2274897, #2331975, #2452658, #2525134,
#2529693,
#D158194, #2587445, and possibly D134719

Instruments that aren't
necessarily kazoos, but could be made into kazoos